What vegetables are good for stew?

Hearty vegetables including greens, green beans, mushrooms, root vegetables, sweet potatoes, kidney beans, winter squash, tomatoes, onion, waxy potatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower are very flavorful in vegetable stew. You can also use a bag of frozen veggies! Just choose a variety mix or whatever you like the most.

How long can I keep vegetable stew in the fridge?

Vegetable stew will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop before serving. It also freezes well for up to several months in an airtight container.

What changes do I need to make to the recipe if I use frozen vegetables?

You actually don't need to make any changes to the cooking time if you use a bag of frozen vegetables instead of fresh vegetables.

Does the hot stew need thickening?

I don't think so, but you can always simmer in a cornstarch slurry made with 1 tablespoon of corn starch and 2 tablespoons of water if you want to thicken the stew. You can also stir in 1-2 tablespoons of tomato paste if you want a richer broth that has even more tomato flavor.

Vegetable Stew with Potatoes (Instant Pot or Stovetop)

Ingredients

Units Scale

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 carrots, sliced
4 celery stalks, sliced
1 cup button mushrooms, sliced
1 cup green beans, ends trimmed and halved
4 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
1 14.5–ounce can diced tomatoes
1 pound baby red potatoes, halved
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional, for topping)

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Instructions

Select Sauté and add the oil to the inner pot of an electric pressure cooker (or see notes below for stovetop directions). Once hot, add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and mushrooms and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the vegetables start to soften.
Press Cancel and pour in the green beans, broth, and tomatoes. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add the potatoes, rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
Lock the lid into place. Select Pressure Cook or Manual, and adjust the pressure to High and the time to 8 minutes. Make sure the steam release knob is in the sealed position. After cooking, naturally release the pressure for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.
Unlock and remove the lid. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
Stir the stew and serve hot, topped with the parsley.

Notes

FOR FROZEN VEGETABLES: swap out the carrots, celery, onion, mushrooms, and green beans for a 16 ounce bag of mixed frozen vegetables. The cook time stays the same.
STOVETOP DIRECTIONS: Grab a large lidded pot. Heat the oil over medium heat. Sauté the vegetables for a few minutes. Add the herbs, salt, and pepper, along with the broth and potatoes. Increase the heat to high, bring the mixture to a boil, and then lower the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables and potatoes are cooked through. Serve hot.
Place any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat before serving.
This Instant Pot Vegetable Stew is loaded with flavorful vegetables, potatoes, and herbs. Use homemade Instant Pot Vegetable Broth to give it even more flavor!
Add more protein by swapping the vegetable stock with chicken stock (not vegan).
Prep the vegetables ahead of time to make this recipe even easier. All you have to do is sauté and then wait for the magic to happen.

Author: Carrie Forrest, MPH in Nutrition
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Category: Main dish
Method: Instant Pot or Stovetop
Cuisine: Healthy
Diet: Vegan

Keywords: vegetable soup in pressure cooker, Instapot soup, frozen vegetable soup